


Memories from the Rebuilding Year

by midnightsong22



Series: Tender Moments [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and a little bit of julia/magnus angsty fluff, just a whole lot of self-indulgent fluff like holy shit, now with added taakitz fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-03-12 18:30:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13553121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightsong22/pseuds/midnightsong22
Summary: "There was a moment that Lup couldn’t see anything..." Stories from the moment Lup got her body back and the events that followed. The Starblaster crew's story doesn't end with the Hunger, it's simply a new beginning.





	1. Chapter 1

There was a moment that Lup couldn’t see anything. The world, for so many months had just been swirling colors and vague sensations. The only constants had been her own powers, that would create a shimmering energy to envelop her, and the voices and forms of her family around her. These muted sensations were still preferable to her previous situation, trapped within the Umbra Staff as it had held her captive in that dim lit room for so long. However, as she entered her own body, and took over her new physical form, she was immediately overwhelmed by everything she had not felt in twelve long years. Everything she looked at took on an intense sharpness of lines and colors that she could not seem to differentiate, forcing her to pinch her eyes shut to center herself. There were clear smells and sounds in the cave that surrounded her, no longer muffled by her lich form. She could actually smell the musty cave and clinical smell of the green liquid on her skin and hear the mechanics of the machine that had reformed her. She also heard breathing that hitched in what almost sounded like a sob, from the other occupant in the room in front of her.

When she was finally able to open her eyes in an attempt to focus on the source of the sound, she found herself pitching forward, unable to even find-or remember-the energy it took to keep herself standing. She prepared for the feeling of pain, of dashing her soft new skin against the cold stone floor. She was almost excited since, for better or worse, she could finally feel pain again! However, she instead felt a presence in front of her that caught her quickly before she could hit the ground. Her naked form was pressed into cool cotton and jeans, and she felt warm arms and hands wrap themselves firmly around her waist. Barry sunk down with her to the floor, pulling her into his lap while pulling a vibrant red robe around her shoulders. She helped him wrap it around her form, and Lup felt the fabric stick to her skin, as the green fluid her body had been constructing itself in was absorbed. He pulled her back against his chest, so her head could rest against his shoulder.

“Lup…” Barry whispered softly, as if worried that even that could overwhelm her. His arms were now gently encompassing her, while holding her upright in his lap.

Lup tried to reply but could not seem to get her voice to work properly. Instead she turned her face towards his neck and nuzzled against his warm skin. He jumped a little, probably by how cold she was in comparison, but responded by reaching up his hand to stroke her hair.

For a moment, this was enough. As everything else around her was too much, Barry’s presence soothed her, grounded her. She turned her face back forward to look in front of them, at the tank that had exploded as she had emerged. She was now level with the bottom quarter of the tank that remained intact, and could see Barry and herself reflected back at her.

“Man,” she finally managed to say, “I forgot how good I look.”

Barry chuckled wetly, and Lup moved to turn herself around in his lap, her legs straddling his on either side. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and leveled her face with his.

And then she said, “I’m about to smooch your fucking brains out, babe.”

And she does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started as just a quick little oneshot exploring in more detail the moment Lup got her body back. I didn't even intend to post this at first and, honestly, I haven't posted my writing online in over four years (back when I was still on ff.net and still in high school). However, what started as a oneshot has somehow morphed into over 20 pages (and over 12,000 words) of self-indulgent fluff. So bear with me as I get back into the swing of writing. I intend to post at least one chapter a week (on Fridays) until I ride this fluff train to its end. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm just getting this fic started, I went ahead and posted the second chapter as well. I'll be back in a week with an update. Thanks again for reading!

Lup hadn’t cried when she first returned to her body. Not while Barry held her nor while he cried as she kissed him senseless. Even that night, as she sat around the table with her friends-her family-and the smell of Taako’s savory cooking in the air, she did not cry. Instead she laughed and she exchanged stories and hugs. All evening, Barry sat on her left, only relinquishing her hand when absolutely necessary. And Taako sat on her right, with at least one hand or arm around her, as if making sure she wouldn’t slip through his fingers. This time, however, she wasn’t going anywhere.

It was only that night, as Barry and Taako were curled up asleep on either side of her, that it truly hit her all at once. Lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling, she realized that she had finally made it home. Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears and, as she looked down at the two most important people in her life, she could not help the choked sob that escaped.

Taako woke up first. He must have deliberately kept himself aware despite his meditation. He immediately pulled himself up face-to-face with her and pressed his forehead against hers. She only cried harder, which finally jolted Barry awake as well who, after surveying the situation, took her hand in his and gently rubbed circles into the back of her hand with his thumb.

“Shh,” Taako murmured, kissing her forehead, “We’re here. We’ve got you Lulu.”

If she thought she felt tears fall onto her face that did not belong to her, she was not going to acknowledge it. To be honest she could not remember the last time she saw Taako cry.

At some point she must have passed out from exhaustion. Not having a physical form for years apparently does that to a girl, because the next thing she knew she woke up on her side, with Barry’s arms around her waist and her back flush with his chest. Her hand was still holding Taako’s who lay facing her, watching her as she regained consciousness.

“Man, you must be really fucking tired if you can sleep as long as Barold,” Taako chuckled, while squeezing her hand tightly.

“Shut up… m’tired,” she replied, trying to give back into the lull of her meditation.

“Well, ch’boy’s gotta eat so..” Taako trailed off, taking a moment to tuck a strand of fallen hair behind Lup’s ear, “I’ll whip up some breakfast and whenever you and Barold can drag yourselves out of bed it’ll be ready, okay?”

“Mmhmm,” Lup mumbled, as she felt Taako pull away. There was a brief moment where, despite knowing exactly where he was going, she panicked.  _ Don’t go! _

It was enough to pull her a bit more towards wakefulness, and she grabbed onto the tail end of his shirt as he moved to get up. He jerked back in surprise and when she realized what she’d done she felt her face heat up and let go. The movement had also caused her to pull against Barry’s hold on her. It was not enough to wake him up, but she felt his arms tighten around her waist and heard an unintelligible mumble escape his lips.

Any other day Taako probably would’ve teased her relentlessly. And he probably still will in a couple of weeks as they get reaclamated to her physical form. For now, however, he must have realized what happened, and how important his presence was for her right now, since he reached down and kissed her forehead once more.

“I _seriously_ need some grub, but I promise to be back up in a little bit. How about some breakfast in bed? Give you some of that royal treatment?”

Lup settled back against Barry’s chest and smiled, “Sounds like it could be the best day ever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks


	3. Chapter 3

Taako is not about to allow his sister’s first morning back in her body to be lackluster. He’s not Taako, you know,  _ from TV,  _ for nothing. His spread has everything, and is extremely reminiscent of their Best Day Ever™ from back in the day. After piling everything onto a tray he walked back to Lup’s room where he found both occupants slowly dragging themselves to wakefulness.

Upon his arrival Lup’s ears perked up and she sat up straight, elbowing Barry in the side in an attempt to get him up too. Taako placed the tray over his sister’s lap and bowed dramatically. He cleared his throat and introduced: “Here we go again, I present to you: bacon, scrambled eggs, and French toast. Oh and pancakes? Of fucking course. What’s that on the corner of the tray? You guessed it. It’s a mimosa. Delicious. Perfect. All of it is the highest levels of refinement and cooked to perfection.”

“Looks amazing as always Taako,” Lup said, immediately digging in, “Thank you.”

As expected, the extra carbs did their thing and soon enough Lup fell back into a well-deserved nap, as Taako took the empty tray back to the kitchen.

He didn’t expect, however, Barry to follow him in a few minutes later. Taako pretended not to notice his presence for the first couple minutes as he busied himself with the dishes. But when Barry remained standing there, awkwardly waiting behind him, Taako relented.

“What’s up my man?” he asked, grabbing the next dish, “Something on your mind?” 

“I well-um…” Barry trailed off, “Do you uh... need help with anything?”

Taako shot him a look, eyebrow raised, but when Barry didn’t say anything more he simply shrugged and nodded.

“I’ll wash, you dry,” he replied, tossing Barry a cloth. 

For awhile they worked in silence. The only sounds were running water and the clatter of dishes as they were passed back and forth. Eventually Barry began to hum, which Taako recognized as the melody of the duet Barry had played with Lup back at the Legato Conservatory.

“Okay seriously, you’re killing me Barold. Why are you pretending to be such a great brother-in-law right now when I know you want to stay glued to my sister’s side for like the next millennium?”

Barry’s humming cut off and there was a beat of silence until Barry put down the tray he was drying.

“Taako, I want to marry her.”

Taako blinked, genuinely taken aback, “You um... do know that you two are already married, right?

“Y-yeah I know, I just… I want to marry her properly this time. Not on the run and not on the ship. A for real wedding, in this plane,” Barry paused and Taako took a second to catch his eye. Apparently this had been something on his mind for a while. Despite Barry’s hesitancy, there was a determination in his gaze that Taako hadn’t seen in a while,“I’ve already gone back to find her ring, the one she lost in Wave Echo Cave, and well, I-”

“Say no more my man,” Taako interrupted, “You just pop the question and I’ll start in on the preparations, yeah? Now go on Barold, enough with the good guy shit and go back to Lup. She’s gonna want someone to wake up to.”

Taako watched as Barry nodded and turned on his heel to leave the kitchen. However, he paused and turned back just for a second in the doorway, “Thanks Taako.”

As Barry left Taako rolled his eyes, “Yeah yeah you big nerd... go make my sister happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A week is a long time for how much writing I've done and how freaking short these chapters are! I think I'll go ahead and post twice a week (tuesdays and fridays) and we'll see how it goes.


	4. Chapter 4

Lup could feel the tension in the air the moment Barry walked into the dining room that evening. All day had been full of fun and surprises from her family. When she had awoken from her nap, Barry had held her and they had chatted for a good hour before Taako finally appeared to drag them out of bed. Taako had proceeded to help pull her hair into a long fishtail braid and she decked herself out in her IPRE red robe.

When she sat down for lunch she was greeted again by Merle, Magnus, Davenport, and even Lucretia, who Taako had begrudgingly set aside his anger for, for Lup’s sake. Now, however, there were even more occupants at the table. Carey, Killian, Angus MacDonald, among other Bureau of Balance members. She had technically met all of them by now, but they all seemed excited to finally meet her in the flesh.

“Sorry again about your macarons Ango,” Lup said, ruffling his hair gently.

“It’s okay ma’am!” Angus smiled, looking up at her from under his bangs “I understand that you were just trying to get through to us. I can always make more!”

“Yeah of course! And when you do let me try one, okay?” Lup paused, considering, “And also stop calling me ‘ma’am,’ that’s for old ladies. I can tell you that I most definitely do not look like an old lady. Just Lup is fine.”

“Yes ma’am! Oh um- I mean Miss Lup!”

Lup sighed, “Eh, we’re getting there.”

Eventually even Taako’s reaper man boyfriend (and soon to be her boss...yikes) appeared from a portal to join the activities. There were card games brought to the table by Merle and Davenport, Lucretia brought sleek volumes of her written records of the planes they had visited, and everyone overall did their best to make it the most awesome welcome home party ever.

However, as they all sat down again for dinner, there was an unusual silence in the air that seemed to grow heavier as Barry sat down beside her. She leaned towards him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

“Babe, why is everyone so quiet?” She whispered loudly. 

Everyone else around them must have finally realized the awkward silence that had encompassed the room because almost immediately she saw Magnus lean over to strike up conversation with Carey, and Davenport and Merle started arguing over who owes who money in their ongoing card game battle.

Barry himself seemed to flinch a bit at the question and turned his face towards her with a sheepish smile. “Oh uh sorry, it’s my bad, I-well… you’ll understand soon.”

“Oookay that’s only a little bit cryptic?” Lup replied, gently elbowing him in the side, but Barry made no attempt to talk further on the subject so she let it go. Especially since Taako appeared from the kitchen with a huge, mysteriously covered platter, before setting it down in the middle of the table.

There was a pause, for dramatic effect, and then Taako pulled off the cover, revealing a gorgeously roasted turkey which Lup knew, this time, must be their aunt’s recipe for real. Kravitz and Magnus helped Taako carry out the rest of the side dishes and soon everyone was chowing down on what Lup would call "the best feast in probably the history of forever."

It was only after dinner, when drinks were passed around and everyone moved to chill outside on the porch that she noticed Barry looking a little nervous. She caught his eye, and that sheepish smile came back for a moment, right before he bolted back inside the cabin.

She moved to follow but Angus called out to her, pulling her into a discussion about the perfect way to bake a quiche. She made the split second decision to just ask Barry about it later in bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just because I'm going to be posting twice a week from now on, I might as well post another chapter today. As always, thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Barry sat for a moment on the edge of the bed in their room, collecting his thoughts and steadying his breathing. He didn’t know why his heart was racing so fast or why a knot of nervousness sat uneasily in his gut. He knows that Lup loves him, has known with absolute certainty since their recital at the Legato Conservatory. Even more importantly, like Taako said, they’ve even been married before. These feelings, this nervousness before a proposal, he’s felt them all before too.

The first time he had proposed had been in their 73rd cycle, in a plane where the Light of Creation had been easily found and, surprisingly enough, at no threat to their lives. The locals had been a peaceful bunch that were humanoid in appearance but were all under three feet tall with variants of brown fur and pointed ears and teeth. They had been a little cautious of the adventurers when they had first arrived on the Starblaster, but with Davenport’s help (being the shortest IPRE member), they quickly acclimated to the new, taller visitors.

They had an incredible marketplace of all kinds of food, decorations, clothing, and jewelry. Barry and Lup, often accompanied by Taako, had repeatedly perused the selections, either for new ingredients for recipes or some new looks. Obviously the clothes were generally a bit too small, but it didn’t stop them from trying things on anyways, usually to the locals and each others’ amusement.

One day in particular Barry and the twins went to the stall of a jewelry maker who delighted in having the travelers try on all her different wares. Taako and Lup had put on as much as they possibly could: hairpins, necklaces, bracelets, clip-on earrings, and rings. Even Barry tried on some earrings and bracelets, much to Lup’s enjoyment. However, most of his time was spent just watching them. He found his eyes drawn to Lup’s fingers which were adorned with several different gaudy rings. One ring in particular, however, caught his eye. There was not anything significantly different about it, just another silver ring with a giant (probably fake) sapphire in it. No, what caught his eye was the way it fit perfectly on Lup’s left hand ring finger, and he felt his stomach swoop.

This was not the first time he had considered proposing to Lup, but it was the first time he’d ever took an action towards  _ actually  _ proposing. He had gone back to that jewelry shop the next day on his own, had pointed out the sapphire ring and inquired to the shopkeeper whether there were other rings of that size. He’d left with a thin silver band with simple leaf etchings across its surface.

It took about a week before he struck up the nerve to tell anyone about it, but he first went to Taako and Magnus. After swearing both of them to secrecy, he unwrapped the cloth from around the ring and told them his plan while avoiding their eyes. He was finally forced to look up when Taako’s hands grabbed onto his shoulders and met Barry with narrowed eyes.

“You’re absolutely sure about this Barold?” Taako asked, steel in his gaze.

Barry gulped but nodded once, “Yeah, I’m sure. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love Lup.”

Taako stood still for another moment, searching Barry’s face for any sort of hesitance, but upon finding none, he broke out into a big grin. His arm came around Barry’s shoulders and slapped him on the back, “Alright then you big nerd, go make my sister happy!”

Magnus easily agreed to building him a small wooden box for the ring. And, before Barry knew it, he was kneeling before the love of his life, with their small family around them and within the metal walls of the Starblaster. 

And the best part? She said yes.

The wedding had been a few months later in the same cycle, a week before the Hunger’s arrival, with their small furred friends helping set up and attend. Merle, as active cleric, had officiated the wedding himself and they were married.

Barry took a deep breath and smiled at the memory. Now, all he had to do was do it again.


	6. Chapter 6

Lup sat chatting on the porch swing with Angus in the middle of her and Lucretia. Beside them, Magnus was singing a hearty, but extremely out of tune, rendition of an old folk song from their home world. Carey and Killian had at some point set up a target for throwing various weapons at, and Davenport and Merle had gone back to their "intense" card games. Kravitz stood quietly against the railing of the porch, silently watching them play. Taako had scurried back inside with some vague excuse about forgetting to do something, leaving his boyfriend awkwardly meandering around the group.

Lup decided to be the good soon-to-be coworker she is and waved him over, to save both him and hopefully distract Magnus long enough to save everyone else’s ears.

“Hey Mags," she tried, while he continued singing loudly, "I love your singing, truly I do, but I need-”

“Zone of truth on that one!” Merle called, cutting her off. Lucretia and Angus laughed beside her and Magnus finally stopped singing.

She coughed and sent a glare Merle’s way, but said to Magnus, “I need to speak with my boss for just a second if that's okay?”

“Yeah, okay, I see how it is Lup,” Magnus replied, giving his best pout before winking at her and heading over to join Carey and Killian. On his way off the porch he passed by Kravitz and pat him on the shoulder as he walked over to Lup.

“Hello again Lup, I um…” Kravitz trailed off, eyes darting to the side as if trying to find something to say.

Lup smiled and took pity on him, “Hey Skeleman, where’d my brother run off to? Leaving your handsome face all alone?”

Kravitz chuckled and shrugged, while leaning against the rail where Magnus had just been standing, “Can’t say that I know, he ran off before I could ask.”

“Don’t feel too bad, Barry did the same thing to me,” Lup said, “I did have a quick question for you though. When do we need to start working for you Krav?”

Kravitz considered a moment, finger tapping lightly to his lips, “Well, you know, considering the circumstances, I doubt that the Raven Queen will require your presence anytime soon. I’d say give it another six months or so and we can talk more about it.”

Lup nodded slowly, “Okay, sure, but what do you mean by ‘considering the circumstances’?”

Kravitz’s eyes widened slightly, “Oh! Well I mean you... just got your body back. You need the chance to get acclimated and used to your powers again.”

Lup recognized that he wasn’t saying everything on his mind but decided not to push, “Oh don’t worry about me, I’m ready and raring to go whenever! Just point me to the nearest lich and I will fuck them up!”

Kravitz rolled his eyes and pointed directly at her. She heard Angus giggle beside her and saw Lucretia stifle a snort with her hand out of the corner of her eye. She huffed and stuck her tongue out at Kravitz.

“Unless you’d like to fight the lich that calls itself ‘Barry’ instead?” Kravitz joked, but then his voice took on a softer tone, “In all seriousness Lup, take some time to settle down a little. There’s all of eternity to chase after the undead. The time you have alive in this plane, however, is finite. Don’t be in such a hurry to waste it on some reaper job. I think you’ve earned a bit of normalcy.”

“Boring,” she teased, “But thanks Krav, that actually means a lot. I suppose I can go without being a kickass hero from another world for a few months.”

“I will say though,” he said, extending out his hand, “I’m looking forward to working with you.”

“Likewise,” Lup replied, grabbing his hand to shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will say that most of this story is going to be about Barry & Lup, but as I went along I really wanted to explore some of the other friendships/relationships, like Kravitz and Lup. I know these chapters are really short but that's because I was originally challenging myself to write one page drabbles. Probably from the next chapter (and onwards) you'll see the chapters get longer and longer as I let myself go over that one page limit. As always, thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

At some point Lup realized she had drunk just a bit too much. In general she prided herself for not being as much of a lightweight as the humans but, somehow, she had allowed herself to get just a  _ little _ wine drunk. Enough that it was just a  _ little _ difficult to keep herself walking straight. Enough that when she had tried to participate in Carey and Killian’s target practice, her fireball went a  _ little _ too high (okay about ten feet too high), and they had to quickly deal with what  _ could  _ have been a forest fire.

It was late evening by this point and her welcome back party had quickly developed into an all out dance party, with music and different kinds of fire and magic keeping the area around the cabin colorful and lit. Barry and Taako had reappeared when the music had started and had quickly joined in the activities. Lup herself had taken the opportunity to sit down, sober up, and watch everyone else. The music was upbeat and many of the dancers were simply jumping around and spinning. Merle had somehow managed to get on top of one of the picnic tables and was reenacting one of his well.. sexier interpretive jazz dances. In reaction, Taako’s face had scrunched up in disgust and was currently shielding Angus’ eyes with one hand. Angus, in the meantime, was flailing, trying to pull  _ away _ Taako’s hand. Davenport and Lucretia were off to one side swaying and chatting, and Magnus was going back and forth dancing with Killian and Carey who were laughing as he spun around them. Across the way from her, Barry was currently handling the music selection, and Kravitz was talking with him about something that she couldn’t quite pick up.

The previous song was fading out and she was about to rejoin the fray when suddenly an all too familiar piano intro began to play. She found herself standing quickly and her eyes locked on Barry’s who was watching her with a small smile. As the violin part- _ her  _ part-came in she found herself quickly walking towards him as he came to her. They met in the center of the clearing, the other party-goers moving aside to let them through. Barry’s arms immediately encircled her waist, and she put her arms around his shoulders and closed the distance between them to pull his body flush with hers.

“Very romantic babe,” she murmured against his neck, “This brings back memories.”

Memories from the first time they truly understood the depths of their love for each other. The first time they held onto one another and did not let go. Their first confession, and their first kiss. So much came out of this one song, this one labor of love from a year long duet at the Legato Conservatory.

They continued to sway together as they relived those fond memories. Around them, Lup saw Carey and Killian, and Taako and Kravitz dancing sweetly as well. She saw that Merle had somehow convinced Lucretia to dance, and Davenport and Magnus were taking turns teaching Angus the steps. She squeezed Barry a bit tighter and felt him squeeze back and press a quick kiss to her temple.

As the song was about to come to an end, Barry pulled back a little in order to lead her into a spin, which she happily complied with. However, at the last second he drew back his hand, letting her go to spin back on her own. She was about to complain how she was already dizzy enough from her earlier drinking but when she turned around she found herself speechless. Barry had sunk down to one knee and was, for the second time in their lives, holding a small wooden box with a familiar silver leaf-patterned ring inside.

“Now I know,” he began, as Lup felt her eyes begin to tear up, “that we are already married. I can promise you that Fisher did not make me forget that. And, I already know that I am going to spend the rest of eternity with the most amazing woman I have ever met. I love you more than anything. And Lup, we’ve gone through so much in the last, wow, _over_ one hundred years and I want to take this moment to ask you once again, in the presence of all our friends and family: Lup, will you marry me?”

Lup sank down in front of him, trying to keep the tears at bay, “Pretty obvious answer babe.”

Barry smiled, taking her left hand, and sliding the ring onto her finger, “Would still love to hear you say it though.”

As the ring slid perfectly into place and Lup felt its familiar weight, she couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. She threw herself at him, knocking him backwards and wrapping her arms around him again.

“Yes, of course, yes! A thousand-no-a  _ million  _ times yes.”

She heard clapping and a woop from Taako as she just allowed herself to cherish the moment. Another wedding in this new world that she can call home, surrounded by her loved ones, and marrying the man that she loves most again. 

And then it dawned on her.

“Ohhh,” she said, pulling away a bit to look at Kravitz while keeping her arms around Barry’s neck, “So this is what you meant by ‘considering the circumstances’?”

She laughed as Taako elbowed Kravitz in the side and, if she wasn’t mistaken, she was fairly certain she saw a blush creep across the reaper's cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you! And while I'm sure you all know the song I'll link it anyways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXLOF-z5Zlk


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We interrupt your regularly scheduled Blupjeans for a brief episode of Taakitz. Enjoy!

“Taako, my heart, I love you as much as life itself, but I must ask you to sleep in your  _ own _ room tonight.”

Taako smirked from where he was spread out on his back on Lup’s bed and decided to play ignorant, “But Lup, my dear, beloved sister, I have missed you so, so much over the past decade! You will deny me my right as your brother to-”

“No,” Lup cut him off, jumping onto the bed beside him, “My husband just proposed to me for the second time in our lives and it has been over a decade since I have had the opportunity to-”

“Bone down hard?” Taako interrupted, and Lup smacked his arm as he cackled.

“I would use more delicate terms,” she continued, laying down on her stomach beside him, ignoring his laughter, “I want this opportunity to get reacquainted with his body with my own, if you know what I mean?”

“Gross,” he replied, smacking her back before popping up to a sitting position and pulling himself to the edge of the bed. She turned over onto her back to watch him as he moved to stand up.

“Taako, seriously, thanks for everything you did today. It really was one of the best days ever.”

Taako smiled, “Yeah of course it was, I planned it! Now, you and Barold have fun tonight.”

“Hey, Taako?”

“Yeah wha-?”

Lup’s smirk looked strangely like his, “You have fun with  _ Skeleman _ tonight!”

Taako groaned but waved as he left the room, hearing Lup’s laughter behind him.

She wasn’t wrong though. Taako  _ did _ have a night planned with his boyfriend. It was just a lot more PG than her and Barold. Taako quickly moved away from the line of thinking about  _ what  _ exactly his sister would be doing that night. It must have shown on his face though, since Kravitz picked up on it as he fell in step beside him.

“Something wrong Taako?”

“Nope, not at all, I am definitely not thinking about how I just got kicked out of my sister’s room because her and Barry will be boning tonight. Nope, no thank you, what’s up with you?”

Kravitz laughed beside him, and gently put his arm around Taako’s shoulders, pulling him closer.

“Alright then, where would you like to go tonight to get your mind off things?” Kravitz asked.

“Anywhere.”

The next thing Taako knew, he was standing in front of a large lake, spanning far enough away that even with his night vision he couldn’t see to the other side. If he didn’t know any better, he would think it was the ocean. The night sky was clear, allowing him to see the waxing moon and so many stars that were reflected in the still surface of the lake.

They chose a grassy clearing to sit down and share another bottle of wine. They looked across the expanse of the lake and, for a while, they simply sat in silence, more than content with just sharing the same space.

Taako finally decided to break the silence, “So… you let slip about the proposal huh?”

Kravitz visibly flinched, “I did not. All I suggested was that she would not want to start work until she had settled into her new body. I... may have implied that there were other reasons that might deter her from starting but-”

“It’s okay my dude,” Taako laughed, “She still had no idea what was going on. Gods the look on her face when she turned around half-drunk and dizzy to see Barold on a knee. For a second I thought she was gonna pass out.”

Kravitz snorted, trying to hide his amusement by taking another sip,“It certainly would have made things interesting.” 

“Yeah…” Taako replied, but his focus was suddenly on Kravitz’s mouth. 

He took the opportunity to jump up and he grabbed the glass out of Kravitz’s hand before straddling his legs and pressing a kiss to his lips. Kravitz jumped in surprise, but quickly recovered by settling his hands on Taako’s hips and kissing back. In the meantime, one of Taako’s arms wrapped around Kravitz’s shoulders while his other hand, still holding the wine glass, he kept extended out behind Kravitz.

He bit at Kravitz’s bottom lip before breaking away to look him in the eyes. Kravitz’s eyes had shut on instinct and he blinked them open just as Taako brought Kravitz’s wine glass to his own lips. Instead of swallowing, however, he put the glass down behind himself and tapped Kravitz’s bottom lip with his thumb until he got the hint and opened his mouth.

Hands sliding up to Kravitz’s cheeks, Taako held him still while licking into his mouth, the taste of red wine sharp as they kissed. When they broke apart again Taako was breathing heavily and even Kravitz, despite not even needing to breathe, looked a little winded.

“Fuck, I think I’m in over my head with you,” Kravitz murmured, pressing open mouthed kisses to Taako’s neck and jaw, “I love you.”

Taako could not help the embarrassing giggle that escaped his mouth, and he realized that maybe he had also drunk a bit too much. Now might be as good a time as any, he figured.

He pressed a quick kiss to Kravitz’s lips and, for the first time since they’d started dating, said, “I love you too, Kravitz.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thanks for reading! Comments or kudos are always appreciated, just to let me know if I should continue with this. There will probably be a couple more Taakitz-centered chapters in the future. For now though, next update will be back to Blupjeans.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brief warning for this chapter: nudity but by no means explicit, simply a scene where someone happens to be naked.

After showering, Lup stood holding a towel loosely around herself, staring at herself in the mirror. There was something both satisfying and unnerving about having a new body. Satisfying because she can finally dance with her husband, hold her brother, ruffle Angus’ hair, high five Magnus, and all the other little things she almost believed she would never feel again. Unnerving because there were just things that felt…  _ different. _

She pulled a hand through her wet hair, and watched herself in the mirror as she attempted to pull out some tangles. After giving up on one knot in particular she allowed her towel to drop in order to grab her brush to deal with it. She paused, however, as she gave herself a moment to just look. 

At first glance she looked exactly as she remembered but, upon closer inspection, she could see a variety of differences. For instance, back on her home plane she had experimented with fire magic when she was younger, which had been both strong  _ and _ hard to control. The result had been vicious burns across her forearms. They had healed pretty well under Taako’s tender care, but there had always been curling white burn scars up her arms.

She turned to look at her right side, where she had once been sliced by a dagger. It had happened while she was on the road with Taako. They had been approached by some lowlife who thought two elf kids could bring him a pretty penny. Taako and Lup were able to easily break away, but not before he had taken a swipe at them. Lup had thrown herself to the side in order to knock both herself and Taako out of the way, but he managed to graze her. Taako, in his anger, had dealt with him pretty quickly after that, but the wound was just deep enough to scar.

There had been countless other stories in the scars that had once riddled across her skin, but they’ve been completely wiped away. It was much like their time on the Starblaster, when every year they’d come back the same. Only now, she was a completely blank slate. After brushing out the rest of her tangles, she set down the brush and took a moment to allow her hands to slide down her smooth skin, eventually coming back up to cup her breasts. 

_ Well at least one thing stayed the same,  _ she thought. 

Not that she would have minded too much transitioning again. She was herself no matter what, regardless of whatever new body was created for her.

“Huh,” she said, considering, “It doesn’t matter what’s changed. I’m still me.”

“Of course you’re still you,” Barry repeated from behind her.

She looked up, startled mostly because she’d been so focused on herself that she had not heard, nor seen, Barry come in. He waited a moment in the doorway but when she nodded at him in the mirror, he came up behind her to wrap his arms around her torso and rest his chin on her shoulder to watch her.

“Is something wrong Lup?” he asked, “Anything feel weird?”

Lup paused, tilting her head to look herself over again, before meeting Barry’s eyes.

“Weird? A little. It’s weird how like... unmarred my skin is? Like I haven’t been like  _ this _ ,” she gestured to herself, “Since I was little. It’s a completely new body and it might have completely different quirks. I mean, what if I don’t like the taste of apples anymore? What if the reason I got a little drunk tonight is because I’m a lightweight now? What if I snore? What if-”

“Lup, honey, you’ve always snored,” Barry laughed, and kept going before she could argue, “And no matter what your body looks like or whatever ‘weird quirks’ it has now, you will always be  _ you.  _ And I will always love you.”

He squeezed her a little tighter and kissed her shoulder, “Plus, I know what you’re going through. Remember, I’ve gone through this whole ‘new body’ experience a few times. Now that I have all my memories back I can finally remember what  _ I’m  _ supposed to look like and I’m  _ pretty _ sure I used to be handsomer.”

He made a show of pouting at her in the mirror and she laughed, pulling away in order to turn around and hug him close, “You’ve always been handsome Bear. ”

She kissed him lightly on the nose, but leaned back, allowing him to hold up her weight.

“But you know...” She paused, smirking at him, “It’d probably be a lot easier for me to check if you got naked too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think one of my favorite things about writing for taz is that there are so many gaps in the main story to add in little stories. Especially starting the next few chapters I hope to explore possibilities in various unknown cycles. Also, if by any chance your interested in a chapter directly following the last line of this chapter, I'm posting an extra that's separate from this story. I would just rather keep this story for teen audience without having to change the whole story to explicit. Anyways, leave a kudos or comment if you liked it & thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

Standing in front of the mirror the next morning, Lup felt a sense of Déjà vu. This time, however, she was proudly examining the bright red hickeys Barry had bit into the skin of her neck and chest the night before. She turned to the side and smirked when she saw the light bruises blossoming along her hip.

Barry was standing beside her and paused brushing his teeth, “Uh sorry I... was a bit rough.”

She took a moment to glance up and down his form and chuckled when she saw matching red marks across his neck and all the way down to his thighs. She motioned to them with one hand, “I think we’re even babe.”

She leaned over to peck him quick on the cheek before heading back into their room to find some suitable clothes to wear. She decided to go with a short skirt with tights, and a long sleeved shirt and vest that went well with a thin scarf she could tie around her neck. For added accessories she put on some clip-on hoop earrings (she really needed to get her ears pierced again) and some multi-colored bracelets. After adequately hiding the marks on her neck (that she was pretty sure everyone could guess were there anyway), she sat down on the edge of the bed, fiddling with her ring as she waited for Barry to get done.

And then she had a thought.

“Babe?” she called.

“Yeah?” he called back, voice garbled thanks to his mouthwash. 

“Did you pilfer this ring off of my dead body?”

She heard Barry choke, coughing as he spit out the mouthwash. She snorted and waited as he came out of the bathroom to sit down beside her in his blue bathrobe.

“Lup? For my sake? Can we  _ not _ talk about how I had to rob from the body you lost in this plane? I already have enough nightmares as it is,” he paused, and Lup felt guilty enough that she was about to apologize when he continued, “Besides, where do you think I got your red robe from?”

“Ugh,” she said making a face as Barry laughed, “Gross! You mean you took clothes from my old, rotting corpse and that was the first thing that touched my new skin? Disgusting Barold, absolutely disgusting.”

“Don’t worry,  I'm kidding. That robe disintegrated a long time ago. Taako found and fixed up the robe you have now," He said but then grimaced, "And again, I must reiterate that I  _ really _ don’t want to talk about your dead body...”

Barry was really trying to keep the conversation light, but Lup could tell that he was still really on edge about everything that had happened. There had been plenty of sleepless nights in the past few months where he has refused to sleep no matter her prodding. He had said it was because he didn’t want her to always have to stay up alone, since she didn’t need sleep in her lich form. But she also knew that there were plenty of times when he  _ did _ fall asleep that he woke up from nightmares that left him shaking. It was those times, more than any, that she had wished she could hold him. 

Lup may have been trapped in a shitty curtain room by herself for over a decade, but Barry had spent that entire time looking for her with no one else to turn to. At least she had always had her memories mostly intact, with no choice but to remain patient in her one-roomed cell. Barry, however, had to fight and search and forget and remember and live and die, over and over, just for the chance to see her again. They had both felt the extreme depths of loneliness during that time and there were still parts of it that he has not told her yet.

“Barry,” she said, rubbing his back gently with her hand.

He must have realized that she’d seen right through him, because he sighed before leaning to rest his head on her shoulder.

“It’s just…” he started, “I never stopped looking for you Lup. I tried everything I knew to find you and it was never enough. When Taako, Magnus, and Merle started collecting the relics, I thought I could finally rely on someone again but… they didn’t trust me. And then Taako he-he had your...”

Barry cut off, trying to collect himself. Lup had not heard this story before, but she could tell just how much it was affecting him. She continued to rub his back, trying to soothe him and pressed a light kiss to the top of his head, still resting on her shoulder.

Barry took a deep breath, “Taako had the Umbra Staff Lup and I just knew. I  _ remembered  _ that you had taken the Umbra Staff with you. I asked him where he found it and... gods Lup, he just said it so dismissively. They all did. About how they’d come across this ‘dead thug’ wearing a red robe in Wave Echo cave and I… I just lost it.”

Lup took a deep breath, moving the hand that had been rubbing his back to pull around his shoulder. She turned towards him and pulled him into a hug. His arms came around her torso tightly, as if trying to convince himself she was really there.

“I had looked for so long but Taako actually found you. I knew he could, but you were still  _ gone _ . I had held out hope that you had lost your memories and were simply living somewhere safe without knowing who you really were. But, if you had died, then your lich form should have returned years ago. I didn’t- I  _ couldn’t  _ understand where you were. I thought you were gone forever and I… I wasn’t sure if I could keep going if that were true.”

Barry finally stopped speaking, shaking like a leaf in her arms with all the emotions and memories that had come bubbling up to the surface after being repressed for so long.

“There were times that I felt you,” she finally said, and Barry took a moment to look up at her. His eyes were red and there were tear tracks down his cheeks.

Lup lifted a hand in an attempt to wipe them away, “When Taako first found me, for the longest time he was all that I could feel. I never wanted to leave his side. Whenever he put the Umbra Staff down I panicked. What if he never picked me up again? But... there were other times that I felt you too. It was always fainter, but I knew you were there.”

Barry sat up, arms still around her but a bit looser, in order to lean back and look at her face-to-face. She kept her hand on his face, cupping his cheek gently in order to meet his eyes and wipe his tears away.

“Barry, I think I _heard_ you when you found out I died. I felt your pain and rage as you yelled, ‘You found her!’” Lup paused a moment, watching Barry’s eyes widen in shock, “I tried to scream, but you couldn’t hear me. No one ever could. Even in Wonderland, Taako was getting hurt and I could do nothing and it was driving me crazy. And then I would feel you, moving so close to me and I would scream for you again but you never heard me.”

“I’m so sorry Lup,” Barry said, his voice breaking slightly, “I was so stupid. I knew what the Umbra Staff was capable of. I should have known that you were trapped in-”

“No, no, no, babe, listen to me. It’s not your fault. What happened wasn’t any  _ one _ person’s fault. It’s why I can’t be mad at Lucretia, because... I did the same thing. I didn’t trust my family. I tried to take the fate of this plane into my own hands and I paid the price,” She took a moment to kiss him softly, “I left you and Taako alone to chase after me, and Lucretia was given one more reason to try and fix everything by  _ her _ self. If I had been there when she erased our memories, Taako wouldn’t have been alone. You wouldn’t have died. Maybe the three of us could have been blissfully ignorant  _ together _ , living in this plane like normal people for all those years, instead of so fucked up and lonely.”

Lup pulled him close again and they held each other in silence, allowing themselves the comfort that had been denied them during those long years. Lup could not even imagine everything that Barry must have gone through, and she knew there were still plenty of things that she couldn’t even put into words about her own experience within the Umbra Staff. There had been times, especially at the beginning, where she had almost lost herself completely, which was still terrifying to think about. It had taken herself so long to drag her consciousness up to the surface but, before Taako had found her, every time she edged on awareness she was thrown into despair as she realized that no one would ever find her. She was trapped forever.

She never wanted to tell Barry that there had been times that she  _ had  _ realized how hopeless her situation was and had almost given up. Had almost allowed herself to be taken in by the Umbra Staff and completely lose herself. There was no telling what would have happened to her if she had. Would she have eventually passed on to the astral plane? Or would she have been broken down into mindless power inside the staff, with no sense of self or purpose?

“Barry, you and Taako were what kept me going. Even when everything seemed hopeless, I knew that I had to see you again. And,” she said lifting up his face in her hands, “I was right.”

Barry didn’t bother holding back his tears and Lup kissed them away, pressing featherlight kisses to his cheeks, the corners of his eyes, and his temples. She pressed a final kiss to his forehead before pulling away to stand and walk over to their closet.

“C’mon babe,” she winked, “That bathrobe is simply not going to cut it. Let’s find you something to wear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, ten chapters in and no ending in sight! Well, I mean there is an ending planned but I certainly haven't started writing it yet. If you've managed to make it this far in this fanfic word vomit I must thank you for sticking with me. From what I have outlined, I have at least 6-7 chapters left planned and, out of those, I have two more written. Luckily this coming week is spring break for me, so I intend to knock out some more writing so that I can keep my twice a week schedule going. I've also been writing out some stuff for a completely different fic (probably a oneshot) for taz that may or may not get uploaded. So keep an eye out for that I guess? Thanks again for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might of been one of my favorite chapters I've written so far! I do recognize that, narratively speaking, it may be a bit of a clusterfuck of ideas/stories, but I really just had a lot of fun with it. I wanted a fluffier scene (after that bit of angst in the last one) where Barry and Lup can just take some time to fall back into some old routines and reminisce. Enjoy!

A few minutes later, Lup had picked out a clean pair of bluejeans and a dark green turtleneck out of their closet, and Barry slipped them on. She grabbed his glasses from where they had left them on the nightstand the night before and used her shirt to wipe them clean before passing them over.

“Thanks Lup,” he said, wiping at his eyes one last time before slipping them on, “Do you want me to do your hair?”

“Yeah, that’d be awesome,” she replied, plopping down onto the bed, crossing her legs, and turning so her back was towards him. She turned her head in time to see him grab a brush and some bobby pins, before coming up behind her to sit down with his legs on either side of her. She rested her hands on his calves and felt him pull her hair back behind her.

“You have some hair ties, right?” he asked, and she responded by lifting up her wrist and shaking it till her bracelets fell down to uncover the hair ties beneath. Being both a fire magic user, researcher, and resident chef meant that long hair needed to be kept out of the way. Barry pulled a couple off her wrist and proceeded to brush her hair gently.

She had never been one for extreme hair care. If she was on the go, more times than not, she wouldn’t even bother brushing it and just pulled it into a quick ponytail or bun. If she  _ did _ have the time to get herself together she would never bother being as gentle as Barry, usually pulling harshly at any tangles until she forced them out. Barry, on the other hand, would take his time teasing out the rat’s nest her hair had become by morning. 

She had often considered permanently cutting her hair short. There had been plenty of times during their century on the Starblaster that she  _ had,  _ experimenting with various undercuts and such. But at the start of each cycle her hair was back to its long length and she had to decide all over again. The one thing that kept her from cutting it for good were times like these. She loved when the others played with her hair, it came from the part of her that craved to be touched. 

Taako was definitely the most experienced, expertly pulling her hair into any manner of hairdo that she wanted. Merle had also been surprisingly good at braids, something he had learned from his family. He was often seen with braids in his hair or beard that he had done unconsciously while at work on something or lost in thought. Magnus and Lucretia were… well, they certainly had tried. With Merle’s help, Magnus had eventually learned to braid, but it was hard for him to do anything too intricate. Lucretia just wasn’t ever used to dealing with anyone’s hair except her own, but would still try her best if Lup asked.

Davenport surprised all of them when he helped her cut and style her hair at the beginning of multiple cycles. When they confronted him about it though, he just shrugged and said that he’s picked up a variety of skills over the years. It was only later that Lup found out that he had actually worked as a hairdresser part time in their home plane before he had started training as a pilot.

Lup smiled and felt Barry shift behind her in order to put down the brush and start to work.

Barry had been extremely hesitant to try anything with her hair at the beginning. It was probably a cross between his perceived lack of skill and his underlying crush for her that kept him from trying during the first few decades of cycles. However it was a cross between her desire for contact and her underlying crush on  _ him  _ that she pestered him about it until he finally relented, and Taako had given him a quick lesson on a simple braid.

The first time she had felt his hands run through her hair she had shivered and realized just how deep she was. When had she let herself fall so hard for this nerd? The first time she had felt that first pang of  _ something  _ was watching him get zapped over and over by that little robot in their 17th cycle. Despite the pain, he had grinned and beared it while trying to get the cute thing to work with him. It had laughed and laughed at Barry while he poked around in its circuits, and Lup had laughed too. When she had seen the flush across his cheeks, the grease on his arms and face, and just really looked at him she thought,  _ Fuck, I think I’m in love. _

It had only taken seventeen years to come to that conclusion, and only thirty more to actually confess. But while that sounds like a long time, they really did show their love for each other way sooner, just in the little things. The way they worked tirelessly together, for hours on end, to search for the solution to defeat the Hunger. It was in the way they would take turns bringing each other coffee in the mornings or quick sandwiches for lunch that would be hastily eaten together over their work. And there were other times where Lup would fall asleep in the lab but would wake up in her room the next morning.

At some point, the rhythm was thrown off and instead of just “The Twins” it was “The Twins plus Barry.” Sure, in her free time away from the lab, Lup spent most of it with Taako as they went off trying restaurants or exploring the new worlds or just hanging around the Starblaster together. But more and more of those times would see a bespectacled nerd tagging along. Lup had been thrown for-well… a loop when she realized just how much they had allowed Barry into their twin time. Honestly, she had noticed it happening ever since the beach world in their 21st cycle, after Taako taught Barry how to swim. It was only later that she learned that that was the cycle Barry had admitted his crush to Taako. 

Taako, of course, had also known about  _ her _ crush-probably even before she did. And, probably in an attempt to set them up, he had invited Barry out with them as many times as she had. Although, even if Taako would never admit it himself, he had become fond of Barry as well. Before they had become liches, whenever Lup died during a cycle (usually by doing something stupidly dangerous…), Barry and Taako supported each other in her absence.

She was heartbroken to hear from Lucretia that, during one cycle in particular, Lup died again but Barry had sustained terrible injuries as well. When they had realized Merle’s healing powers were not enough, Taako had poured as much magic as he dared into sustaining Barry’s lifeforce, yet he had remained unconscious for quite a few weeks. When he finally woke up Taako had been right there, grasping his hand and had told him that, “You’re not allowed to leave too.” 

Lup had decided not to divulge that information to anyone else, and had never confronted her brother about it. Yet despite the pain of it, she had been happy that there was someone else who would be there for Taako even if she wasn’t. She also knew that Barry and Taako had worked together to try and find her in this plane as well. She had seen the maps that they had been working on, trying to track her location through the glassings but… she didn’t want to think too much about all the suffering she must have caused them.

A sudden pull on her hair jerked her back from her thoughts, and she felt Barry begin to pull the two side braids he had made together with the rest of her hair, in order to pull all of it up into a messy bun. She peeked back at him and saw he had a couple of body pins held between his teeth.

Yeah, he’d definitely improved since back then. She can still remember the one long uneven braid he had produced the first time he’d tried (in cycle 25 or so?). Taako had been demonstrating how to do it on her left and Barry had  _ attempted  _ to follow along on her right. The result had the interesting effect of perfect braid on one side and shitty uneven braid on the other. Barry, in his embarrassment, had tried to undo it before she could see but Taako shooed his hands away. And, to Barry’s utter mortification, Lup left it in as she walked around the Starblaster the rest of the day, proudly displaying it to the rest of the crew. It was only that evening, when they were working together in the lab that she relented to him taking the braids out for her.

Since then, Barry had taken his time and actually ended up teaching himself over the years, using her hair as practice. He was no Taako, but he was certainly better than Lup when it came to styling her own hair.

She felt Barry slip the last bobby pin into place to keep the bun from falling apart and felt him lean back in order to admire his work.

“You’ve been quiet, sweetheart. Something on your mind?” he asked as he reached out to tuck a rebel strand back into place.

“Just thinking about stuff,” she replied, turning around so she could face him, “Remember that first braid you did for me?”

He rolled his eyes as she laughed. She uncrossed her legs so that she could lay them over top of his, and reached out to grab his hand. He readily gave it to her and she took a moment to look at it. There were calluses on his fingers from where he held his pen, and she noticed that his fingernails had been recently cut.

“Would you like me to paint your nails babe?” she asked.

“Huh,” he said, taking his hands back to look at them, “I haven’t done that in a long time but... yeah sure, why not?”

Lup smiled and moved away to crawl across the bed to their nightstand. She pulled out its top drawer and rummaged around till she found what she was looking for. She came back with bright red nail polish that was a perfect match for their robes.

“Don’t tell Taako that I stole this from his room,” she said, before unscrewing the cap and settling back down in front of him.

Barry offered out his hand and she grasped it gently as she started to apply it. Barry had actually started painting his nails years ago. One cycle, in the second half of the century, the crew had been invited to attend an  _ extremely _ fancy party. One that only Taako and Lup seemed to be prepared and excited for. It had taken the entire week leading up to the party to find, hem, and alter everyone’s nicest clothes. Most of the crew had been reluctant at first but, watching Taako and Lup happily at work made their excitement contagious.

The only one who couldn't seem to get in the mood was Barry who, almost to the last second, adamantly refused on going at all. His argument was that at least someone should stay behind to protect the ship. Just in case.

“Barry, honey, there are no dangers here. This is literally a world full of crazy rich, party people. Davenport will lock everything down and we will go to the party, eat all of their food, drink all of their booze, and have  _ fun.  _ Don’t make me go to my first rich people party without my husband.”

It had taken  _ a lot  _ of convincing, but Barry was always weak when it came to Lup. She knew that the main reason he didn’t want to go, besides just not being a big party person in general, was because he always had trouble figuring out what to wear. He just wasn’t really comfortable during those super formal events, usually sticking to a t-shirt and his infamous bluejeans. 

So, Lup got an idea. To make it up to him, she pulled out the most ridiculously extravagant and gaudy clothing she could find and they proceeded to have their own fashion show. Lup ended up with a bright, neon orange dress with silver sequins and a long, white feather boa around her neck. Barry couldn’t help but snort in laughter because she essentially looked like a walking traffic cone. She also chose some unreasonably tall, silver high heels and adorned herself with pearl earrings and bracelets. She had on dark eyeshadow, mascara, blush, and had painted her nails the same color as her dress.

Barry, in the meantime, was wearing a dreadful white suit (where had they even picked that up??) and his own black boa and black dress shoes. To make it even more ridiculous she slicked back his hair and tried to steal his glasses from him so that he could wear sunglasses instead. An argument about whether the necessity of sight outweighed the necessity of aesthetic ensued, but they compromised and he wore his glasses  _ under  _ the sunglasses. The final touch had been painting Barry’s nails orange too so they could match.

As they took a second to stand back and survey their hideous attire they burst out laughing. They looked ridiculous, just as they intended. 

“Lup, really,” Barry said, trying to speak through his laughter, “After a week of planning,  _ this  _ is what we’re going to party in?” 

Lup grinned, “Abso-fucking-lutely babe.”

The party had ended up being a huge success, if success meant being complete eyesores to everyone in the room, gorging themselves on food, getting absolutely wasted, and ultimately kicked out of said party by a very displeased Davenport.

Taako, Magnus, and Merle had gladly participated in their shenanigans at the beginning, but when push came to shove, they were far away when Davenport put his foot down and made the two of them go back to the Starblaster. Lucretia, who had been mostly observing the party rather than participating herself, gladly volunteered to make sure the drunk couple made it back safely.

The next morning, (well actually by the time they woke up it was more like next afternoon) they dragged themselves out of bed and into the shower. While under the spray, Barry unconsciously held out his fingers to observe his nails.

“You know,” he started, considering, “I kinda like how this looks.”

“Yeah?” she asked and he nodded, “Me too.”

As Lup finished the second layer of red polish, she looked up into Barry’s eyes and she was hit all over again with just how lucky she was. This smart, handsome, ridiculous, amazing man was her  _ husband _ and, even after everything they’ve gone through, they somehow managed to get here: together, with their family, and finally free from the Hunger’s relentless pursuit.

“Look good?” she asked, lifting up his hand in hers so that he could see better.

Barry’s hand tightened slightly around hers and didn’t let go.

“It’s perfect,” he replied, leaning forward to kiss her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was totally inspired by Travis' story about how he started painting his nails to write the little party story section with Barry & Lup. (If you're at all curious I heard Travis tell the story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOzkF6ZQxgE&t=10s) And sorry the update's a bit late! Like it's still technically tuesday but I actually totally forgot it was because I have no sense of time right now (with it being spring break and all). Anyways thanks you everyone for reading and leave a comment or kudos if you can!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter actually went a direction even I didn't see coming. Not that big of a twist or anything, but definitely exploring some different character interactions. I hope you enjoy!

Walking downstairs that morning for breakfast was... interesting to say the least. They were all going to have one last meal together before everyone needed to return to their lives. Davenport was going back to sailing around the world, Magnus was starting work on his training school for dogs, and Merle was busy with his work as “Earl Merle” in Bottlenose Cove. Lucretia, Angus, Carey, and Killian were going back to the Bureau to continue work on rebuilding all that was lost during the Hunger’s attack. The work on New Phandalin, for example, was going extremely well.

When Barry and Lup had walked into the kitchen that morning, Lup had immediately taken over  to begin work on breakfast before Taako got in.

“I can’t let him do all the work. I’m a resident chef too,” she had said, then winked, “Plus I’m pretty sure I’m better at omelettes than Taako.”

Barry had mostly stood back to watch her work after that, jumping in whenever she needed a certain ingredient or help cutting things up. Lup was a blur when she cooked, moving around the kitchen with grace and confidence. Barry was a decent cook but, he always found himself mesmerized at how much Lup could do at once, juggling 5 or 6 different recipes with ease. It was only more amazing when she worked alongside Taako.

Speaking of which, Taako glided in about halfway through cooking and easily slid in beside her, taking note of what was being done and what still _needed_ to be done. Barry definitely stood back after that, knowing from experience that he would just be in their way. It was as if only a few days had passed since they last cooked together, not years. When Taako and Lup cooked it was like magic (more so than usual). Lup would be flipping an omelette in a pan with one hand, while throwing Taako an apple with the other. In the meantime, Taako would already be halfway through cutting up a banana for the fruit salad when, without even looking up, he would catch the apple and place it to the side to cut next. They cooked like it was a performance which, he supposed, Taako was extremely used to by now.

Barry, while in his lich form, had actually gone to one of Taako’s shows in person a few years after losing their memories, just to check up on him and make sure he was alright. Unsurprisingly, Taako made a stunning performance, but Barry’s heart had squeezed painfully in his chest when he realized that the performance just wasn’t complete without Lup. Taako’s assistant Sazed was alright and all, but he just couldn’t match the kind of style that Taako-and Lup-brought to the table. Seeing Taako again, and being sharply reminded of what was missing, had motivated Barry to keep going despite his increasing feelings of hopelessness.

Lost in his thoughts, Barry didn’t realized until the last second that Lup was standing right in front of him.

“Wha-” he started, but was cut off as she kissed him, her fingers tangling themselves in his hair. At first he melted into her kiss but, when he felt her begin to laugh against him, he pulled away, “What did you do?”

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion but she just laughed after pressing another quick kiss to his lips and asked, “Could you go ahead and start setting up the table babe?”

His eyes remained narrowed but he nodded slowly and she quickly directed him to the plates, silverware, and cups, to start setting up. He picked up the stack of plates and silverware and went to the dining room. At the table, Kravitz was already seated and reading a book, probably waiting on Taako.

Upon Barry’s entrance he marked the page and stood, “Could I be of any assistance?”

“Uh sure,” Barry replied, passing over half the stack of plates and putting the silverware down in a pile.

Barry still didn't know what to think of Kravitz. He seemed to make Taako happy, at the very least, and he had been extremely kind by _not_ trying to reap all of their souls. He even helped convince the Raven Queen to allow Barry and Lup to work for her, instead of them being taken in for their existence as liches. It didn’t change the fact, however, that the guy himself was hard to read. He’s quiet, polite, his face is a skull half the time… well, not that Barry had the right to talk since he had been a lich for years, but still.

Feeling a bit awkward being alone with Kravitz, Barry sighed and turned around to grab the silverware.

“Um, Barry?” Kravitz asked, and Barry turned back to look at him, “I think there’s something in your hair.”

“Huh?” Barry reached up to brush his fingers through the strands, pulling his hand back to find flour covering it.

“Ugh, Lup!” he yelled towards the kitchen.

He heard her laughter echo back to him as she called out, “Love you too!”

“I see,” Kravitz smiled, while Barry attempted to shake the powder out, “Congratulations, by the way, on the second engagement. I mean, I know it wasn’t much of a surprise, but I’m sure you’re both happy.”

After deeming his hair mostly flour-free, Barry looked up and realized Kravitz was waiting for a response.

“Oh um yeah, thanks,” he said, absentmindedly scratching the back of his head, “I mean, Lup and I, we’ve been together for a long time. She’s everything to me.”

“It took you both a while to confess at first, though.”

Barry nodded, sharply reminded that, thanks to Fisher and Junior’s song, _everyone_ knew their story now. Details of their lives from one hundred years was just open knowledge. Sometimes the recognition and admiration felt well-deserved but, most of the time, Barry couldn’t help feeling a bit unnerved by all the people who just _knew_ them. It was the complete opposite of his years hiding out as a lich.

“We just didn’t want to rush it,” Barry finally replied, picking up the silverware, “Taako told me once that Lup and I had something that most people in love rarely have enough of: time. That really stuck with me, you know? I had an entire century to fall completely and deeply in love with her.”

They went back to setting the table in silence, but just as Barry moved to go back to the kitchen and grab the cups, Kravitz spoke again.

“Do you think Taako and I are moving too fast?”

 _Wait,_ that’s _what this is about_? Barry thought to himself, then said, “Do _you_ think you’re moving too fast?”

“I don’t know… I mean we didn’t really have the best start considering I was trying to collect a bounty on his head but, after that, we dated a few times and it was _so_ nice and... I just don’t want to mess this up,” Kravitz paused, then smiled slightly to himself, “I love him.”

Barry sighed. He wasn’t annoyed, he just felt a little out of his depth. He’s not really the best one to go for advice on this kind of stuff.

“Well, the way I see it, I honestly don't think there's a right or wrong way to go about this Kravitz. Lup and Taako may be twins but the way they love is gonna be a hell of a lot different. What works for me and Lup is not gonna be the same for you and Taako. And, honestly, Lup and I probably went a bit _too_ slow...”

Kravitz looked like he was going to say something more, but at that moment Magnus strolled in, still in his striped pajamas and some ridiculous slippers that were made to look like bear paws. He plopped himself down in a chair and stretched, wishing the other two good morning.

“So what are you two talking about?” Magnus grinned, resting his face in his hand while looking expectantly at Kravitz.

Barry took the distraction as an opportunity to finally go and grab the rest of the dishes. In the kitchen he saw that Taako and Lup were almost done, with most of the meal on platters. They were currently working on cleaning the pots and pans, with Lup washing and Taako drying. He was still _going_ to grab the cups, but he couldn’t help himself. Seeing that the twins had not noticed him yet, he snuck up behind Lup and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist.

She didn’t even flinch. Instead she sunk into his touch, hands going still in the water, “Oh, hey babe.”

“Didn’t even scare you a little?” Barry asked, pulling her back against him. He heard Taako’s grown of annoyance beside him but chose to ignore it.

“Nah, I’d know you anywhere.” she replied, “Plus, I think Beach World Magnus got all of us used to being snuck up on, you know?”

“Hmm, that’s true,” he mumbled, glancing over to Taako, “Did something happen last night between you and Kravitz, Taako?”

Barry saw Taako’s eyes widen slightly and flick over to his, “What? Why?”

He watched as Taako’s posture closed off, his arms automatically coming up to cross against his chest and eyes narrowing. Lup had also reacted in his arms, her posture stiffening as if she were ready to go on the defense for her brother.

“It’s nothing bad,” Barry quickly amended, “He was just asking about me and Lup. I guess I’m just not used to him being so talkative towards me.”

When Taako still didn’t relax, Barry decided to go a different route, “I mean, I couldn’t help but notice that you and Lup managed to match scarves this morning. Is that just a twin thing or is there also something you’re trying to hide?”

Lup let out a bark of laughter, pulling one hand out of the water to make a grab for Taako’s scarf. Taako easily dodged out of the way and hit Lup’s wet hand with the towel he had been using to dry dishes.

“ _Barold!”_ Taako hissed, trying to look scandalized, but Barry could see the tips of his ears had gone a bit red in embarrassment, “I do _not_ need any information about what you and my sister were up to last night. So don’t expect any of the juicy details from me either.”

“Okay okay,” Barry replied with a laugh, letting go of Lup’s waist to raise his hands in defeat, “I’ll just go back to my job of setting up the table.”

He pecked Lup quick on the cheek (at the same time Taako made a gagging sound), and grabbed the cups to retreat back to the dining room. He heard the twin’s banter behind him, as Lup once again made a grab for the scarf covering the hickies Kravitz had left behind on Taako’s neck… Yeah, Taako was right that Barry wasn’t interested in the “juicy details.” He’ll let Lup handle that one.

However, just as he reached the doorway of the dining room, he stopped in his tracks when he realized he could hear a quiet conversation from the other side.

“-met in Raven’s Roost. Julia and I fought the revolution together and were married shortly after it ended. Some might say we moved too fast. I mean we had only known each other for a little over a year by the time we were engaged. But I don’t regret that decision for even a second,” Magnus paused, “Honestly Krav, just go with your gut. If Taako makes you happy, then I think you’ll find that it’s what’s left unsaid that you’ll end up regretting more.”

“I see… Thank you, Magnus.”

“Of course!” Magnus replied, although his voice sounded a bit forced.

Kravitz must have noticed too because his next words were soft, almost careful, “Magnus, is there anything you want me to tell her for you?”

Magnus let out a shaky breath, “Y-yeah just, you know, just let her know how much I love her.”

“Of course,” Kravitz echoed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I did not get as much done during spring break as I thought because, you know, spring break... Thanks to my repeated procrastination I might not be able to crank out the rest of the next chapter before this Tuesday, so don't be too surprised if I can't update until next Friday (3/16). I am planning to work on this some more over the weekend, but I do have actual homework for actual college classes I need to do soooo we'll see. In the meantime, have you guys been keeping up with the taz dust arc? Cause I have and I love these new children. Anyways, thanks for reading! And leave a comment or kudos if you want. No pressure! It just helps to let me know if there's still interest or not. Have a great night (or day)!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait on this chapter! This one is a bit longer than the others so I hope that makes up for it a bit! It's also Taakitz centered, to explore what the heck is going through Kravitz's mind for once.

Kravitz sighed, letting the unnecessary air pass through his lips as he leaned heavily against the back of the wooden chair. Magnus had redirected his attention to helping Barry, who reentered at almost too-perfect timing from the doorway with the rest of the dishes. By this point, Merle, Lucretia, Angus, and Davenport had also taken seats at the table.

Kravitz had not really meant to drag Magnus into giving him relationship advice... especially considering the delicate nature of Magnus’ own situation. Kravitz was not certain of the details, but he knew Julia’s death still affected him greatly. It must have been a violent and unfair death. It made Kravitz feel sick to think about and, to be completely honest, it was the first time Kravitz had ever wished he could allow a soul to return to the material plane.

As if in reply, Kravitz felt a pressure on _his_ soul, a gentle reminder from the Raven Queen to not think of such things. However, he also felt a wave of sympathy from her. She may be a goddess, who ensures that the laws of life and death are followed, but she still recognizes when fate has been cruel. After everything the Starblaster crew has done for reality, why must Magnus still suffer that loss?

 _Perhaps there is something_ _we can do._

Kravitz heard his Queen’s words resonate within his soul, a voice that only he could hear. He nodded in acknowledgement of her words, not quite sure what she meant, but felt her presence recede from him anyway. They would always remain connected, but she tried to allow him some level of privacy. In reality, Kravitz took comfort in the knowledge that she was with him, no matter the circumstances. However, when the Hunger had attacked, that connection had been broken for the first time since he had died and taken on the job as her reaper. The first time Kravitz had felt absolutely alone.

Kravitz sighed again, the memory of that day still fresh in his mind. He was sure that, if he needed to sleep, he would certainly have nightmares. Nightmares of the inky black tar that had pulled him down over and over again, keeping him from his Queen and cutting off his access to the other planes. Cutting off his only way to Taako.

He felt his heart suddenly leap in his chest, and his right hand moved on instinct to cover the spot. He felt the erratic rhythm beat for a few moments, before it quieted and stilled again.

This was not the first time his heart had leapt back to action, as if he were still alive. It was as if the mere thought of Taako was enough to jump start his heart back to life. The Raven Queen had said it was an aftereffect of spending so much time on the material plane. And, of course, an aftereffect of falling in love with Taako.

The idea that Taako’s influence was literally causing his corporeal form to become _alive_ again was both terrifying and exhilarating. It meant that he might start _needing_ things again. Like breathing and sleeping and drinking and eating. All those little things that he hasn’t had to worry about for centuries. It meant that it will become harder and harder to shake off his corporeal form. It could even mean, if he’s not careful, that he could _die_ again.

That thought alone should be horrifying, but all Kravitz could think about was the one causing it all. Last night in particular, when Taako had finally let those three little words slip, Kravitz had thought his heart would burst from his chest. It hadn’t just beat, it had _raced_ at Taako’s confession.

Taako _loved_ him.

Sure, Kravitz was well aware that Taako showed his love in plenty of other ways, but nothing quite compared to hearing it said out loud. And, apparently, his heart had agreed. He still wasn’t sure if Taako was aware of the changes Kravitz’s corporeal form was undergoing, but it was something they needed to talk about.

As if on cue, the twins appeared from the doorway, carrying various delicious-looking foods stacked precariously on trays. Kravitz realized that, unbeknownst to him, the rest of the seats at the table had been filled, and breakfast was ready to be served.

At meals like these, there was always uproarious conversation, especially on Magnus’ side of the table (which generally included Carey, Killian, and Merle). Of course, the twins were not much quieter, and even those who would be considered as such could be easily coerced into joining the ruckus. Magnus, at the moment, was busy retelling the “hilarious” story of saving Taako from man-eating (or, well, elf-eating) piranha plants in cycle 32. Taako was jumping in wherever he could to add details or refute that he absolutely, had _not_ needed any help in the first place.

“You see, Mags here just wants to make himself look good,” Taako said, and Magnus shot him a glare, “Honestly, he wouldn’t have survived that cycle if it hadn’t been for good ol’ Taako. That plant would’ve eaten you alive if I hadn’t been there, my dude.”

“I wasn’t the one it was going after! And, if it hadn’t been for my ax,  _you_ would’ve been eaten alive!”

“But if I hadn’t used Wall of Fire, there was no way we would've gotten away!”

“Shouldn’t Miss Lucretia know who saved who?” Angus cut in, “She did write everything down, right?”

Everyone turned to Lucretia, who looked a bit startled that she was now the center of attention.

“Well, I may of written everything down,” she started, “but I didn’t see _everything_ first hand. This is one of those times I had to trust that _they_ were telling the truth.”

And so, the arguing continued. Kravitz, for his part, _had_ been listening, but found himself distracted from any and all conversation the moment he felt Taako’s hand on his thigh.

His eyes flickered over to Taako’s, but the elf made no attempt to acknowledge what his hand was doing under the table, keeping his attention rapt on his argument with Magnus. Perhaps Taako had just put his hand there on instinct.

He felt Taako’s hand slide upwards and Kravitz took in an unnecessary, sharp breath. His hand quickly grabbed for Taako’s, stopping the wandering hand by pressing it against his thigh.

So, yeah, he was definitely doing this on purpose.

He saw a small smirk briefly cross Taako’s lips as he felt fingers dig into the cloth of his pants. He squeezed Taako’s hand in reply and shook his head slightly when Taako met his eyes: _Not here._

Taako sighed dramatically, and Kravitz wasn’t sure if it was due to him or Magnus.

“I grow bored with this fight. Believe whatever you want Maggie, I think we all know who’s the more powerful one here,” Taako finally said, while Magnus rolled his eyes, “But... I guess I’ll concede that it might’ve been just a little bit harder to get away if I’d been alone. So there.”

Magnus snorted, ‘Yeah, yeah, alright.”

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Taako replied, and before Kravitz knew what was happening, Taako was pulling him out of his seat, “I have something I need to do.”

To his utter mortification, Kravitz could hear catcalling from Lup, Magnus, and Carey behind them as Taako pulled him from the room.

“T-taako, what-?”

Before he could say anymore, Taako dragged him down the hallway to the guest room they’d been sharing. Well, they called it a guest room anyways, but everyone knew that this was _Taako’s_ guest room in his sister’s house.

As the door shut behind them, Taako pinned Kravitz against it, his hands resting on the wood on either side of him. He leaned up on tiptoes to press a quick kiss to Kravitz’s lips, before leaning back to meet his eyes.

“So, not there… how about here?” Taako smirked, and Kravitz instinctively let his own arms settle around Taako’s waist.

“Weren’t we trying to have one last breakfast with everyone before they left?” Kravitz teased, even as his hands moved to trail up Taako’s back.

“Hmm, I guess,” Taako said, still smiling, but for a moment it didn’t quite meet his eyes, and his brows furrowed as if considering something.

Kravitz wasn’t used to that look, “Is something wrong, Taako?”

Taako’s hands dropped from where they had been pressed against the door, and he pulled away from Kravitz’s arms. Kravitz’s first instinct was to try to grab hold of him again, but there was something off about the elf’s posture, the way he was carrying himself. He watched as Taako turned away in order to walk over to the bed, sitting on the edge and refusing to meet his eyes.

“I don’t know, is there?” he mumbled, quiet enough that Kravitz almost missed it.

Immediately, Kravitz found himself walking towards him and, when Taako still wouldn’t look at him, he forwent sitting on the bed in order to kneel on the floor in front of him. His hands came to rest gently on Taako’s knees and he leaned forward to catch his eyes.

“Hey,” he soothed, squeezing Taako’s knees gently, “Did I do something-”

“No! No I…” Taako cut him off, “Ugh this is so stupid, _I’m_ being stupid, I just-What were you talking to Barry about? He asked me if something had happened between us last night and I didn’t know what he was talking about and then he tried to backtrack it by mentioning my scarf, but I knew there was something else he was implying and fuck it, now I’m rambling but… ”

At this point Taako was gesturing unconsciously with his hands, his eyes trained on everything but Kravitz’ face while a slight blush stained his cheeks. His ears had also flushed a bit red under the attention. He always did have the habit of talking with his hands when he was excited or nervous. Gods he’s so cute, Kravitz thought to himself.

But Kravitz also realized that he’d unintentionally fed into Taako’s anxieties by talking to the others behind his back. He supposed he should have figured that Barry would find it strange for Kravitz to go to _him_ for advice and ask Taako about it. Although, honestly, who else would Kravitz go to? The Raven Queen?

“Taako,” he finally cut in, and Taako immediately went quiet.

Now _that_ was strange.

Kravitz let yet another sigh pass his lips and the action finally caught him by surprise when he realized that he’d been actively _breathing._  When had he let himself do that so unconsciously? He tried to keep his next breath in and, although it was working, his lungs started to burn a bit.

“Should I not have said what I did last night?” Taako asked quietly, and Kravitz realized that Taako must have taken his silence as some kind of answer.

“What? No! Taako, this isn’t about…well, it is kind of about last night. But, Taako, I _love_ you,” Kravitz smiled, and Taako finally met his eyes, a small smile crossing his lips as well, “And hearing you say that you love me too? I have never been happier.”

“So... why were you asking Barry about well-” Taako started, his hands fidgeting in front of him.

Kravitz gently grabbed Taako’s right wrist, pulling it to his lips to place a gentle kiss to the back of his hand. He then moved his hand to cover the back of Taako’s and lead him to press it flat against Kravitz’s chest.

There, under Taako’s hand, was the steady rhythm of his beating heart.

Taako’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Kravitz couldn’t help but laugh at the reaction, squeezing Taako’s hand where it lay on his chest.

“Right? It took me by surprise too when I first felt it. For a dead guy, my heart is certainly going strong.”

“How is this possible?” Taako finally asked.

“Something about spending a bit too much time in the material plane,” Kravitz replied, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss, “And something about falling in love with you.”

“Hachi machi,” Taako said, keeping his hand pressed to Kravitz’s chest, “So I did this?”

Kravitz nodded and, before he could say anything more, Taako’s other hand moved to the back of Kravitz’s head to pull him into a heated kiss. Kravitz sat up on his knees and inched forward between Taako’s legs and wrapped his arms back around Taako’s hips. They kissed until Kravitz could feel his lungs begin to burn again in protest. He pulled away, panting, and Taako looked both pleased and smug to see the effect he had on him.

“Am I leaving you breathless, Skeleman?” He teased.

“Yes,” he replied, and went to move back in for another kiss when he felt a tug at his soul.

He pulled back in surprise and he watched Taako lean into air with his eyes closed, before he realized Kravitz had pulled away.

“What?” Taako huffed in embarrassment and annoyance.

“I’m not quite sure yet,” Kravitz replied, standing quickly, “But I think the Raven Queen has a job for me.”

“Ugh, now?” Taako groaned, standing as well.

Kravitz nodded, “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, yeah. Tell your Raven mom hi for me, okay?”

Kravitz decided not to comment on the “Raven mom” thing for now, “Sure thing. Tell the others goodbye for me as well? And give them my best.”

“Of course,” Taako replied, pulling Kravitz into a goodbye kiss.

As Taako pulled away, Kravitz focused on his scythe, willing it into existence. It appeared in his hands and he sliced a portal open. However, he stopped himself before walking through.

“And Taako? About when I was talking to Barry… I was just asking him if he thought we were moving too fast. When I felt my heart start to beat, it made me realize just how much I absolutely adore you. I just… don’t want to mess this up. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Taako huffed out a laugh, and moved to cup Kravitz’s cheek with his hand.

“You were seriously asking advice from that sap? You know how long it took him and my sister to get together. We might be going fast, my man, but let’s talk about them going 'too slow' for a second. As a third party, watching those fuckers dance around each other for decades was absolute torture. Do you want to know how many times I had to listen to Lup talking about how she wanted to ‘get into those bluejeans’? Ugh, I don’t even want to think about it.”

Kravitz laughed and Taako quickly joined in, any remaining tension dissipating completely between them.

“Humor me though, what did _Barold_ have to say?”

Kravitz smiled, “He told me that what works for him and Lup won’t be the same for us. But, you know, the best advice was what Magnus said. He told me to go with my gut, and that, if you make me happy, I should just tell you everything outright.”

“Yeah?” Taako asked, “And what is it that you want to tell me?”

Kravitz blushed, when he realized what it was, exactly, that he wanted to say. He wanted to ask Taako to spend the rest of eternity together. In short, he wants to ask Taako to marry him. He felt air hit the back of his neck from the portal behind him and he made a decision.

“Taako, I love you so much that my heart has literally come back to life. I can’t imagine ever leaving your side. I want to ask something of you, but not now. I’m not leaving it unsaid, I simply want to wait for a better time than this,” he motioned towards the portal, “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Taako, for his part, took Kravitz’s admission with wide eyes and a dark blush across his face.

“Oh,” Taako whispered.

Kravitz leaned down to kiss Taako one last time before striding quickly through the portal.

“Huh,” Taako said to himself, fingertips coming up to rest lightly on his own lips, “Warm.”

\---

A few hours later, Kravitz stood still and calm on top of the sea of souls, ripples extending outward from his feet. His eyes were closed, and he was focusing on the energy beneath him; on the hundreds of millions of souls that swirl together in harmony. He hadn’t expected the Queen to find a solution so quickly, but he knew that this would work perfectly.

He finally found the presence he was searching for, and he called out to it. He opened his eyes and watched as a small, colorful soul rose up from the depths of the sea to float in front of him.

“Hello Julia,” he greeted, as a bright light flashed, and she took on a more corporeal-looking form in front of him.

“Hi,” she replied, with a smile, “What can I do for you, Mr. Reaper?”

“Kravitz is fine,” he said, extending out a hand for her to take, “I have something to show you.”

She hesitated for only a second before taking his hand and allowing him to guide her across the sea. After a few minutes, Kravitz could see the small island form in the distance in front of them. He led Julia towards the new addition to the astral plane, courtesy of his Queen’s magic.

“What is all this?” She asked as they stepped onto the grassy land. A large stone house stood in the center of the clearing, with woods spanning out behind it.

“We thought that, perhaps, when Magnus decides to join you here, you’d like a place to live out the life you wanted together.”

“Huh,” she replied, and Kravitz respectfully gave her a moment to collect herself as she wiped at her eyes, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, it’s the least we cou-”

“I don’t like the house though,” she cut in with a smile.

Kravitz snorted, “Okay, what would you like instead? It could be anything you want.”

Julia paused, hand coming to rest on her chin in consideration, “How about instead of a house, could you get me some tools and a workbench?”

Kravitz could tell why Magnus and Julia had ended up together. He waved his hand and, the stone house was replaced with a large workbench with all manner of tools spread across it. An ax that appeared extremely similar to Railsplitter rested against the side of it.

“Perfect!” Julia said, clapping her hands together, “Looks like I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’ll let you know if I need anything.”

She winked at him and moved to walk towards her new home.

“Julia,” he called after her.

She turned, “Yeah?”

“Magnus sends his love,” he replied, “He loves you so much and thinks of you every day.”

He watched another tear slip down Julia’s face that she didn’t bother to wipe away, “Tell him that I love him too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so just to let you know, I think from now on chapters will have to be a weekly thing (every Friday) instead of twice a week. I've officially caught up on all my pre-written chapters and don't have anything ready to post. Not to mention, I'm in the midst of my last semester of college and things are really picking up. So sorry I can't keep up with my old schedule but I think the chapters from now on will also be longer than they used to be so maybe that'll make up for it. Thanks for reading and leave a comment/kudos to let me know how I'm doing. All feedback is much appreciated :D


End file.
